title: The role of complement in disorders of the nervous system.
abstract: The complement (C) system plays important roles in host defense but activation at inappropriate sites or to an excessive degree can cause host tissue damage. C has been implicated as a factor in the causation or propagation of tissue injury in numerous diseases. The brain is an immunologically isolated site, sheltered from circulating cells and proteins of the immune system; nevertheless, there is a growing body of evidence implicating C in numerous brain diseases. In this brief article we review the evidence suggesting a role for C in diseases of the central and peripheral nervous system and discuss the possible sources of C at these sites. Some brain cells synthesize C and also express specific receptors; some are exquisitely sensitive to the lytic effects of C. The evidence suggests that C synthesis and activation in the brain are important in immune defense at this site, but may also play a role in brain disease.
authors.affiliation: University of Wales College of Medicine, Cardiff, UK.
authors.forename: B P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gasque
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Singhrao
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Piddlesden
mesh_terms: D000706:Anaphylatoxins / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D002493:Central Nervous System Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D003167:Complement Activation / Q000276:immunology*; D003711:Demyelinating Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D011951:Receptors, Complement / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000706:Anaphylatoxins; D011951:Receptors, Complement